The Drama is a film that will have you wondering, "What would I do in that situation?" Starring two of the coolest actors of this era, Zendaya as Emma and Robert Pattinson as Charlie. The story follows an adorable engaged couple living in city of Boston whose relationship is put to the ultimate test when a secret is revealed right before their wedding.
I'm going to be honest, I was not expecting this film to be so freaking hilarious; I was hollering laughing two minutes in, all the way to the end of the film. And the interesting thing is that there was really only one funny character in the whole movie: Charlie, he carried the entire film's humor on his back. Literally every funny moment was because of Charlie. Which easily made him my favorite character. He was an insecure, shy, quirky guy, who in contrast to his character stood up for his fiancé quite a bit. In the midst of him questioning the marriage, dealing with high emotions, and fear of judgment from his friends. He still stood up and spoke in defense of Emma.
Then we have our girl Zendaya. Her acting leaned into the usual archetype she often portrays. This film actually made me realize that Zendaya doesn't have range... okay, maybe that’s a too harsh. Perhaps a better way to say that is she hasn’t been offered much range to display yet? But even though she often does portray a similar archetype. She NAILS them, almost like they were written specifically for her.
Zendaya played the role of Emma. For the most part, Emma had a similar temperament to Charlie, quirky, shy, but extremely avoidant. At first the whole role play thing came off as cute and quirky, but then as time went on I realize it was just a way to avoid her issues.
As for my least favorite character, believe it or not. I don't have one. I know, I know. How could Rachel not be my least favorite character? Yes, Rachel was annoying and overbearing, but her behavior had some boundaries. She didn’t go around telling everyone what Emma did. I think she was just angry and maybe has some control issues, but even within her anger, she wasn't as messy as she could have been.
Outside of the characters, looking at the movie as a whole, the execution of the film was great... well, besides the editing, that was choppy. I'm surprised more people aren't talking about it. The soundtrack was fantastic I enjoyed the selection of songs, they fit the vibe of the film. The cinematography was good too. I mean, it’s an A24 production, so what else would I expect? It's one of A24’s brighter films, similar to Past Lives or The Materialists.
The Drama is a great depiction of relationships. It explores the connections we have with our loved ones and how they can accidentally hurt us through their actions whether deliberately or by accident, in the present or the past, and how we function within those situations. It's all apart of the complexity that comes with being human.
The Drama balances laugh out oud humor with genuine emotional stakes, making it well worth the watch!